REQUEST PROPOSAL

Panel Counts

POLAND

Healthcare services in Poland have been financed, supervised, and controlled by the Ministry of Health, the National Health Fund (NHF) and local governments since 2003. The Ministry of Health plays a key role in determining the health policy of the country, financing and implementing health programmes, financing some highly specialized services, scientific research, and educating medical staff. It also fulfills numerous supervisory and management functions with relation to some institutions of the health care system, including the National Health Fund—a public purse. The role of founding bodies of most of public health care institutions are local governments, which are also responsible for identifying health needs of their citizens, planning the supply of health services, and promoting health within their territories. The place where a patient first contacts the health care system is Basic Health care Units (BHU), where the patient, by receiving a proper referral, can obtain access to specialized health care. Out-patient care (basic and specialized) is conducted by health care entities such as out-patient clinics, dispensaries, and doctor’s practices, which largely remain in private hands.